Guys young enough to be her son fight to hold off Aeron Arlin Genet at a mid-April mee

General May 14, 2018

Aeron Arlin Genet creeping up on 1500 American record as 50-year-old

In Section 4 of the women’s 1500 at Saturday’s Occidental Invitational in Los Angeles, Aeron Arlin Genet of California’s Central Coast ran 4:54.74. Not that impressive until you know she turned 50 last June. That puts her 3 seconds behind the listed American age-group record of 4:51.86 by Marisa Sutera Strange in 2015. With the season still young, Aeron could snag the AR yet. (The W50 WR is a stretch, though — 4:36.79 by Britain’s Clare Elms in 2014.) According to mastersrankings.com, the best 50-plus woman in the world this year is Sally Gibbs of New Zealand, who clocked 4:48.49…

Colleen Milliman, shown at last year's Hayward Masters Classic, added to her middle-distance legend.

Records May 13, 2018

Ninetysomethings Milliman, Platts, W70 Gerl highlight Hayward Classic with WRs

Three months ago, KVAL-TV in Eugene, Oregon, did a story Whether you’re running a survey, collecting registrations, or conducting market research, our ambien forms will make the process a breeze. Start saving time and making informed decisions effortlessly. on Tracktown Fitness, a free program that trains at Hayward Field. It noted W90 mile record-holder Colleen Milliman, who told of her goal to set a WR in the 800 at the Hayward Classic. Well, there she goes again. Last weekend, at 91, she crushed the listed WR of 6:57.56 by fellow Yank Betty Lindberg in 2016. Colleen clocked an amazing 5:44.50…

WMA President Stan Perkins (left)

International May 11, 2018

Masters nationals in India are all over the map — and calendar

Last month, the 38th National Masters Athletics Championships of India were held at Mangala Stadium in Mangaluru. On Wednesday, it was reported that the 40th National Masters Athletics Championships 2019 will be held in Manipur “per a statement issued by Masters Athletics Federation of India (MAFI).” Say what? How did a year get skipped? Don’t ask. And don’t tell WMA that the 39th National Masters Athletics Championships were held at Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru, in late February. The mess of competing national governing bodies continues unabated in 1.3 Billion Land. Even though a year ago I reported how India’s version…

Bershawn Jackson, who always runs with a Nike headband, may be (at 5-8) the shortest world-class long hurdler.

General May 9, 2018

Bershawn Jackson turns 35, threatens American record in 400 hurdles

TV likes to call Bershawn Jackson “Batman.” Today we call him Birthday Boy. The 2008 Olympic bronze medalist in the 400 hurdles is 35. And despite his April 2017 announcement that he was retiring, he’s already competed at least five times this season. His most recent mark was a second-place finish Friday at the IAAF Diamond League meet in Doha, Qatar. He clocked 49.08, which isn’t far off the listed M35 American record of 48.93 by Nat Page in 1992. He’s not likely to challenge the listed WR of 48.13 by Jamaica’s Danny McFarlane in 2009. (The last time he…

Snazzy graphics for a cool idea. But watch out for the Suicide Run.

General May 8, 2018

Discount on Pete Magill’s ‘Combine’ meets; $50 prize for Trojan Masters mile

Missed your chance at professional track stardom? Not so fast. A series of Southern California meets is offering modest prizes and creative competition this summer. Pete (Mr. 5K) Magill reminds of his SpeedRunner Combine — where age-graded marks will be scored for the best combined efforts in the 40-yard Dash, 20-yard Shuttle, 3-Cone Drill, Vertical Leap, Standing Long Jump and Suicide Run. Details at speedrunnercombine.com. Meets are June 16 in Pasadena, July 14 in Santa Monica and Aug. 5 in Yorba Linda (where I lived as a young teen). Pete writes: “Medals will be awarded in 10 age groups (M/F),…

Oleg of Ukraine still gets credit for world and Euro medals despite doping suspension.

Doping May 4, 2018

Two dopers still listed in WMA world outdoor results nearly 2 years later

In late December, we learned that M50 high jumper Oleg Kramar of Ukraine had failed a doping test at the Eurovets Ancona indoor meet in April 2016. So he was handed a 4-year ban. Recently, WMA corrected results from 2017 Daegu indoor worlds, where Oleg’s name went from second to DQ. So you’d expect results from Ancona and 2016 Perth outdoor worlds to change as well. (Oleg won silvers at Ancona and Perth.) But nope. Results still show him untouched. I’m unsure if medals have been redistributed. Same for suspended M55 Perth world champion Volodymyr Shelever of Australia. His name…

Records May 3, 2018

W90 Heather Lee adds 10K walk WR to stockpile, lowers own 5K record

Simon Butler-White, our Aussie stringer, reports that New South Wales race walker Heather Lee “sliced and diced” two W90 world records at last weekend’s Australian masters nationals in Perth. She took down WRs in the 10K road walk and 5000 track walk. Simon writes: “Heather, 91, set world records in the 3000 (24:56.97) and 5000 (42:36.49) walks at the Australian Masters Games in Tasmania just last October but was determined to secure the ‘missing’ 10K WR that would give her the trifecta of W90 marks. The WR over that distance – 1:31:21 – was set by Romania’s Elena Pagu at…

International May 2, 2018

M85 David Carr’s radical range at Aussie nationals: 200 to 2K steeple

When you get to Malaga for 2018 outdoor worlds, buy a brew for your Aussie rivals. They’ve endured a long season. How long? They held their outdoor nationals last weekend in Perth. Now they have to peak again in five months. I suspect they’ll do fine up over in Spain. They have WMA superstars, of course. Perhaps the top performer in the four-day meet at Venues West in Perth was M85 steepler/sprinter David Carr. Yup, he ran the 200 in 38.84, 400 in 1:21.93 (which age-grades to 45.46), 800, 1500 and the 2K steeple in 11:10.86 (age-graded as a 3K…

George (right) won too many awards to mention.

Obituaries May 2, 2018

George Kleeman dies at 77; USATF technical official at many WMA meets

George Kleeman was a superstar in his field — officiating track meets on the national and international stage. When he died April 22 at 77, a week after a major heart attack, he deserved his kudos. Services were Monday in Pleasant Hill, California. Among his dozens of major meets — USATF masters national in 1993, 1995 and 1997 and world masters meets in 1985, 1989, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2011. “Many recognize Kleeman’s numerous contributions to national and association events and committees over the past three decades, but he was also an accomplished distance runner in the 1960s-70s…

Kirsten is a road warrior, too.

General May 1, 2018

USATF notes Kirsten O’Hara-Leetch 10K AR — after a little nudge

A couple days after Kirsten O’Hara-Leetch set a W50 American record in the track 10K (the only one that counts), I posted the news as part of a Mt. SAC Relays roundup. Per custom, I shot a note to USATF communications to let them know. Sometimes my suggestions get Athlete of the Week recognition. But days passed, and USATF didn’t announce a winner. Finally, today (almost a week after AoWs are typically posted), I wrote my Indy contact: Did you pick an AoW? The answer: “Yes, we did! Posting got lost with all the Penn/Drake business but it is up…